


Warmth

by romanticalgirl



Category: British Actor RPF, Hornblower RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-12-05 00:04:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/716592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanticalgirl/pseuds/romanticalgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Are you wearing every article of clothing you own?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> In case you read the others and wondered "How did those two wacky kids get together". Now you know. Or would, if any of this were real.
> 
> Originally posted 5-5-06

Jamie leaned against the doorjamb and shook his head. “You look ridiculous.”

“Do you see how cold it is?” Ioan shivered under the pile of blankets covering him. “You can see your breath. In my hotel room.”

“Have you thought to turn the heat on?”

“It’s br…broken.” Ioan shivered again and pulled the blankets higher up to his chin. The tip of his nose was bright red in the flickering firelight. “When’d you get in?”

“Nice to know that my presence actually registered.” Jamie entered the room and closed the door behind him, leaning against it. “Just now. Well, a couple hours ago. The trip up was horrid.”

“Did you think to bring something strong to drink?”

“I did. Finished a bottle in the car.” Jamie pushed off the door and sat on the end of the bed next to Ioan, smiling as Ioan tugged the blankets from beneath where Jamie sat and pulled them closer to him. “I even brought you a present.”

“Oh?” Ioan’s eyebrow lifted, smiling even as he shivered.

“Something to warm you up.” Jamie set his bag on the floor and leaned down to open it, passing a bottle to Ioan. “Thirsty?”

“No. But freezing.” Ioan’s long fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle and he broke the seal, pressing the opening to his lips. He took a quick pull then shuddered, his eyes closing as the liquor burned down his throat. “Oh.”

“Good, isn’t it?” Jamie reached over and took the bottle from him and took a drink of his own. He returned it to Ioan then walked over to the fire, shoving another log into the flames. “Jesus, it is cold in here.”

“Told you.” Ioan took another drink. “Come get under the blankets.”

“You’re willing to share?”

“Body heat.” Ioan nodded, lifting the corner of the comforter a bit. He arched his brow as Jamie started to laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“What are you wearing?”

“All my damn clothes except the costumes.” Ioan dropped the blanket. “I’m _cold_.”

“Right.” Jamie picked up the edge of the blanket and tugged it over him. He moved close to Ioan, shoulder to shoulder, and reached for the bottle. “Did I miss much?”

“Let’s see.” Ioan took another drink before surrendering the alcohol to Jamie. “Did you know that if you strip off all your sodding clothes and dive into the Black Sea in the middle of November, it’s terribly _fucking_ cold?”

“Not through any actual experimentation, mind you, but I can only imagine.”

“I don’t have to imagine.” Ioan shivered again and grabbed the bottle, taking a long pull. “Because I’ve _done_ it. I don’t think I’ll ever be properly warm again. I also had to stare at the underside of cows.”

“It’s terrible being the star, isn’t it?” Jamie reached over and snagged the bottle, setting it on the floor beside the bed. He lay back then put his hand on Ioan’s shoulder, pulling him down next to him. “Come here.”

Ioan turned his head as he lay back, watching Jamie with dark eyes. “What?”

“Body heat, you said.” Jamie turned on his side, tugging the blankets up to their necks. Ioan shivered again and Jamie smiled, reaching out to trace his lower lip. “Can’t really share any if you’re all hunched up like Quasimodo, you know.”

Ioan’s tongue darted out, brushing against Jamie’s fingertip before disappearing between his lips again. “How was London?”

“Wet.” Jamie shook his head, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. “Boring. I just wanted to be back here. Wanted to know what was going on. What I was missing.”

“You were missing the freezing fucking cold,” Ioan assured him, his eyes haunted as they moved over Jamie’s face, seeming to memorize it. “And the black plague.”

“Oh dear. I leave and all the good stuff happens.” Jamie laughed, the sound low and warm in the cocoon of the blankets covering them. He met Ioan’s eyes and his laughter faded to a smile. “Did you miss me?”

“Terribly. Nobody having seizures at key moments and cracking my arse up so I have to redo the take another 50 times or so.” Ioan jabbed Jamie in the stomach. “Didn’t they have a seizure disorder class at the drama academy?”

“Oddly enough, no.” Jamie caught Ioan’s finger and held onto it for a moment. “Or perhaps it was an elective I passed up in favor of Shakespeare or something.”

“Oh, anyone can do Shakespeare.” Ioan shook his head and freed his hand from Jamie’s and tugged at his jumper. “Something to be said for this body heat.” He started to sit up when Jamie stopped him. Without speaking, Ioan raised his arms and let Jamie’s hands smooth the jumper over his head.

Jamie tossed it to the floor then tucked one hand under his head while the other grazed down Ioan’s chest. “All right?” When Ioan nodded, he smiled. “Are you really wearing all the clothes you brought?”

“Well, two shirts and the jumper.” Ioan swallowed hard. “Couldn’t manage to get two pairs of jeans on. Though I’m wearing four pairs of socks.”

Jamie laughed softly and let his hand run up Ioan’s chest again, sliding his fingers along the row of buttons. “And you’re warm enough?”

“Ye…yes.”

“It’s no wonder you were cold,” Jamie’s words were as soft as the touch of his hand. He let his fingers graze over Ioan’s cheeks and up to the arch of his brow. “Skin and bones.” Leaning in, Jamie pressed a soft kiss to Ioan’s temple. “Sharp angles and huge eyes.”

Ioan’s lips parted as Jamie pulled back, his eyes wide, darting from Jamie’s eyes to his lips and then back again. His lips trembled as he opened his mouth to speak. “Jamie?”

“Shh,” Jamie shook his head and let his fingers trail down Ioan’s face and neck to the button of his shirt, sliding it free. His fingers kept moving, unhooking each button with slow precision, his fingers brushing lightly over the thin cotton of Ioan’s t-shirt as he smoothed the fabric away from it. “Shh.”

Ioan nodded and he swallowed hard, watching Jamie’s face as he tugged both shirts free from Ioan’s jeans, resting the tips of his fingers against the bare flesh of Ioan’s stomach. Jamie’s breath hitched in his throat, his chest constricting as he looked up and met Ioan’s eyes.

Tongue darting out to wet his dry lips, Ioan leaned in, closing his eyes and tilting his head to brush his lips lightly over Jamie’s. He pulled back, his long lashes feathering his cheeks as he blinked rapidly, his breath stuttering out of his chest. He swallowed again and bit his lower lip, his eyes darting back up to Jamie’s. His lips parted and then closed, opening again. “Jamie?”

“You great wanker,” Jamie whispered softly, his hand curving around the nape of Ioan’s neck, tightening as he pulled him forward. He stopped as Ioan’s mouth reached his and smiled, shaking his head slightly. “Come here.”

“I’m already…” Ioan stopped and caught his breath. “Oh.” He nodded as he leaned in, closing the slight distance between them. There was the briefest hesitation as Ioan’s lips touched Jamie’s, a stuttered intake of breath and then the warmth of the kiss, pushing back the bitter cold that clung to the outside of their cocoon. Ioan’s mouth opened, allowing Jamie’s tongue to slip inside, the resulting groans melting the last of the chill.

Jamie pulled back slowly, swallowing hard as his eyes searched Ioan’s, darting from the deep brown to his lips then back again. Ioan’s tongue swept across his lower lip before he leaned in, not meeting Jamie’s eyes as he stole another soft kiss. “Never…” Ioan swallowed again, his mouth moving over Jamie’s hesitantly, his hands taking gentle, nervous liberties as they touched Jamie’s chest. “Never done this…”

Jamie laughed softly, stroking the curve of Ioan’s eyebrow, moving his mouth over Ioan’s so their breath mingled. “Me either,” he admitted, catching Ioan’s bottom lip between his teeth and sucking on it for a moment before releasing him, his hand lying flat on the hard plane of Ioan’s stomach, teasing beneath his shirt. “But I think we’re doing all right so far, hm?”

Ioan nodded and arched against Jamie’s touch, his body moving closer. Jamie uttered a soft moan, sliding his tongue into the welcome heat of Ioan’s mouth again. His hand slid over Ioan’s stomach to curve around his side to his back, pulling his body against Jamie’s. Ioan shuddered in response as hard muscle and hard flesh met, Jamie’s knee snaking between both of Ioan’s, his thigh pressed against Ioan’s cock.

“Ioan,” Jamie muttered softly, pressing the word to Ioan’s neck, tasting the warm flesh above his collar. He pressed his thigh hard against Ioan’s body, his hands taking advantage of the distraction to find the hem of Ioan’s shirts and tug them up his chest, letting his palms smooth over the flesh as he laid it bare.

Ioan shivered and Jamie pulled back, his blue eyes intent on Ioan’s. Licking his lips, he traced the hard tip of Ioan’s nipple with an errant finger. Ioan’s mouth opened and closed, his tongue darting out to imitate Jamie’s. “Jamie…”

“Just say the word,” he whispered, his finger moving in a steady circle over Ioan’s sensitive flesh. “Just say it, and I stop.”

Struggling upward, Ioan tugged his shirts all the way off, tossing them aside before lying back on the bed, his long lashes feathering his cheeks as he blinked. “Don’t stop?”

Jamie groaned hotly and tugged his own shirt over his head, scrambling out of it before pressing against Ioan once more, gasping as flesh met flesh. Ioan moaned at the soft scratch from the hair that feathered over his chest as Jamie rubbed against him, the sound coming again as Jamie eased himself over Ioan, parting his legs further as he settled between them, the weight of his cock firmly against Ioan’s through their jeans.

Lowering himself, Jamie rested his elbows on either side of Ioan’s head, his fingers tangling in the dark curls as he fitted his mouth over Ioan’s again, dipping his tongue into the mellow flavor of scotch that clung to the warmth of Ioan’s mouth. He rolled his hips eagerly, grinding their bodies together instinctively.

Ioan’s head fell back, his mouth open in the wake of sensation. The rasp of hair over his nipples, the hard press of Jamie’s cock, the heavy weight of him. He fought for breath, his long fingers tracing patterns along Jamie’s back, sliding from shoulder to arse, pressing firmly against the flesh as his own rose up to meet it.

Pressing his lips to Ioan’s exposed neck, Jamie nipped and sucked at the smooth flesh, the faintest hint of stubble on Ioan’s jaw barely enough to scratch at his lips as he worked his way down. Ioan dropped his head, seeking out Jamie’s mouth, finding it again and pressing his tongue inside, capturing Jamie’s easily and sucking on it as his hands settled in the small of Jamie’s back, holding Jamie against him as his hips thrust upward.

A small sound escaped Jamie’s mouth, part moan and part need as he worked one hand down between them, his fingers tugging and pulling at the button and zipper of Ioan’s jeans, breaking the kiss long enough to suck in a heavy breath, to stare down at Ioan’s swollen, parted lips. “Want to feel you. Can I feel you?”

Ioan nodded desperately as Jamie rolled off to the side of him, both of them working at shedding denim and cotton, kicking off jeans and shorts and socks in frantic, desperate movements before they pressed together again, facing each other breathlessly.

Ioan’s hand grazed Jamie’s cock, pulling a gasp from Jamie’s lips. His eyes drifted closed as Ioan’s fingers wrapped around him, curving along the shaft of his cock then sliding to the base, stilling there. “Oh,” Jamie breathed. “Don’t stop.” Ioan pressed a kiss to Jamie’s lips, the curve of his smile forcing Jamie’s eyes open. “What?”

“Nothing.” He leaned forward, pushing Jamie back onto the bed as his hand slid tentatively along the length of Jamie’s cock to the tip then back down, pulling the foreskin back and exposing the slick head. Jamie gasped loudly, the sound lost in Ioan’s mouth as he moved in for another kiss.

Jamie arched up against Ioan’s hand, reaching between them to still its steady motion. Ioan looked up, meeting the dark blue of Jamie’s gaze with a question, concern and worry marring his brow. “I’m just…” He shook his head and freed Ioan’s hand from around him, threading their fingers together and pulling Ioan against him, their bodies pressed together as he tugged on Ioan’s hand throwing him off balance. “Close.”

“Mmm,” Ioan chuckled softly, his mouth moving against Jamie’s neck. “Can feel that.”

“No,” Jamie’s laugh was breathless as it feathered through Ioan’s hair. “I’m close. And I want to…” He broke off, thrusting upward, his cock against Ioan’s, the hint of slick stickiness holding them together for an instant before they slid along each other’s length, pressed hard and tight. “Oh, yes.”

Ioan’s teeth grazed Jamie’s neck and he huffed a heavy breath against the sweat-damp skin, the cold outside the blankets forgotten in the heat of their movements, the clutch of hands and the thrust of bodies. “So good,” Ioan breathed. “Knew it’d be…so…” He licked his lips, his tongue grazing Jamie’s neck again and he shuddered, trembling limbs and clutching hands and the hard pulse of his blood as he spilled his orgasm between them, thick moisture that brought a soft cry from Jamie’s lips.

“Ioan…fuck.” He tightened his grip on Ioan’s hands and rolled them over, holding Ioan tightly to the bed as he thrust down, pumping his hips against Ioan’s, his cock coated in the warm wetness on their skin. His eyes stayed firmly on Ioan’s, flashing hot blue as his breath faltered, falling away to nothing as his muscles tensed and he came, exhaling Ioan’s name.

**

“So,” Ioan drawled the word slowly, his voice thick with pleasure and scotch. “What do we do now?”

“There’s a bottle of rum in my bag if you’ve got a taste for something else,” Jamie nodded toward the end of the bed as he reached for his shirt and used it to clean both himself and Ioan, tossing it outside of the covers and then pulling the blanket back close. “And if you feel like braving the cold.”

Ioan shivered and nodded, shoving back the blanket and crawling down the bed. His long limbs making short work of the distance to Jamie’s bag. He pulled it up on the bed and opened it, digging inside as Jamie’s brain kicked out of its post-coital fog.

“Oh. Shit. Ioan…”

Ioan sat back on his heels and cocked an eyebrow as he glanced back at Jamie, the bag of condoms and lubricant spilling out onto the bed. “Planning on getting lucky?”

“Not…Not planning.” Jamie blushed, his pale skin hot against the cold. “I wasn’t assuming…but, but…If I…I didn’t want…Oh, sod it.” He shoved the covers back and started to get up, stopping only as Ioan reached out, his hand closing around Jamie’s wrist.

“It’s all right, you know. I think it’s clear I’m amenable to the prospect.”

“I wasn’t…I wanted.” Jamie blew out a frustrated breath. “But I didn’t…”

Ioan shoved the contents back into the paper sack and grabbed it and the bottle of rum, moving back to the small cocoon they’d made. “Jamie, it’s really all right.”

“I didn’t want…” He ran a hand through his hair. “Shit. If it happened, I didn’t want it _not_ to happen because we weren’t prepared. I didn’t want to risk…if the chance only came ‘round once…”

“Well.” Ioan set the bag on the bed and cracked the seal on the rum. “Right now I say we concentrate on what else you came prepared for.” He slid back under the covers, tugging them over him, holding them up enough to allow Jamie to slide back in beside him. “Come on.”

Jamie moved beneath the covers and accepted the bottle, taking a long pull from it. He shivered as the heat of it rolled through him, finally meeting Ioan’s eyes.

Ioan took his own drink and moved closer to Jamie. “Cold out there.”

Jamie ran a hand along Ioan’s arm. “You still feel warm to me.”

Ioan tilted the bottle again, groaning a little. “Oh, God. You really did get the good stuff.”

“With a Welshman and an Irishman drinking, did you expect anything less?” Jamie stole the bottle back and took another drink, lowering the bottle slowly to find Ioan’s eyes watching him. “What?”

Leaning in, Ioan licked Jamie’s lips, parting Jamie’s lips and sucking the thick taste from Jamie’s tongue. Jamie moaned against his lips and returned the kiss, closing his eyes as Ioan’s hands explored him, trailing lightly over his stomach and chest. Ioan pulled back, his eyes heavy-lidded and dark as he smiled, slow and deliberate. “What’d you do in London?”

“Nothing much. Family. Rang up a few friends. Hit a few pubs.” He drank again and then shared it with Ioan, tongues drowning in the gold liquid. “Missed the hell out of this crazy place.”

“Yeah?” Ioan caught the bottle from Jamie’s fingers and tilted it back, swallowing hard. He settled it between the pillows just above their heads then let his fingers return to their exploration, hesitating only slightly when Jamie’s hand lifted, his fingers tracing the curve of Ioan’s collarbone.

“What did you do?”

“Told you,” Ioan leaned in, his nose grazing Jamie’s neck, his lips and tongue wreaking havoc with Jamie’s pulse. “Black plague, swinging cows, and ships on fire. I also got to hang out with Wedge from Star Wars.”

Jamie sought out Ioan’s mouth, whispering words against it. “He has a real name, you know.”

“Yeah?” Ioan’s soft laugh feathered over Jamie’s lips. “What is it?”

His hand threading through Ioan’s hair, Jamie closed the short distance between them, capturing Ioan’s mouth in a hungry kiss. Ioan’s hands stilled, one on Jamie’s neck and the other on his hip, holding them together until they broke apart, breathless and gasping.

“How much more filming?” Jamie managed finally, as Ioan brought his attentions back to Jamie’s neck. Jamie slid his arms around Ioan, caressing the length of his back, reveling in the pleasure of the touch, the freedom. He splayed his hands over Ioan’s arse and squeezed lightly, his body responding to Ioan’s low groan.

“Few…” Ioan’s hands grew more intent, raking along Jamie’s flesh. He hooked a leg over Jamie’s and brought their bodies closer together. “Few more days.” He stole another kiss, his breath stuttering over Jamie’s lips as his hips rolled forward, his cock hard again.

“Then Portugal,” Jamie breathed roughly as Ioan’s fingers dug into his shoulders as he pulled back, tugging Jamie on top of him.

Ioan’s back arched and he licked his lips, his eyes dark. He bit at Jamie’s mouth, claiming it in a hard, deep kiss before sinking back to the mattress. “Touch me, Jamie.”

Jamie nodded as he held himself propped on one elbow, his free hand stroking Ioan’s chest to his stomach, feeling the hard tenseness of his muscles. “Everywhere.”

Ioan shook his head and caught Jamie’s hand, guiding it between them. Jamie’s fingers brushed the heavy sac at the base of his cock. “Here.” His breath caught as Jamie’s hand curved around it, squeezing gently. “Yes.” He nodded rapidly, his teeth sinking into his lower lip as Jamie let two of his fingers unfurl, pressing hard against the sensitive skin beneath. “Oh.”

Jamie’s mouth found Ioan’s again, kissing him roughly. Ioan reached above them, nearly knocking over the rum as he fumbled for the paper sack, digging out the tube of lubricant. He brought his hand back as Jamie pulled away, licking his lips and breathing roughly, his chest brushing Ioan’s with every hard pant of air. Ioan fumbled with the container, his fingers trembling as he attempted to unscrew the lid, his own breathing erratic as Jamie edged away from him, stealing the tube from his hands.

Jamie poured thick liquid on his fingers and rubbed them together, managing a weak smile down at Ioan as he pressed the tips of them to the flesh beneath Ioan’s sac. He laughed nervously on a huff of breath, slowly pressing one finger past the tight ring of muscle. Ioan tensed, his eyes widening as his lips thinned. Jamie stilled until Ioan relaxed and then moved his finger again, slowly beginning a steady stroke of shallow thrusts. “All right?”

Ioan nodded and licked his lips, reaching for the rum and taking a hard pull from the bottle before rolling his body experimentally to meet Jamie’s finger. “You?” He panted.

“Well,” Jamie laughed softly, nervously. “Never actually done this before.”

“Same principle,” Ioan assured him, body moving easily in tandem with Jamie’s as he dropped the bottle over the side of the bed. “You seem to be doing just fine.”

He laughed again, leaning in to steal a quick kiss from Ioan’s lips, the change of angle eliciting a hoarse groan from Ioan and another weak laugh from Jamie. “You okay?”

“Yes.” Ioan nodded again. “Good.” His body constricted hard and tight around Jamie’s finger. “More?”

Jamie licked his lips, adjusting his balance on his arm and pressing closer to Ioan, sliding a second finger inside him. Ioan gasped and arched upward. “How…” Jamie swallowed against his dry throat. “How does it feel?”

Ioan managed to cock an eyebrow and smirk at him, the overall image ruined as he dissolved into a breathless pant. “You’ll get your turn, Bamber.” He flexed the muscles of his thighs, tightening them around Jamie’s hand. “Feels so good.”

“Tell me.”

Ioan closed his eyes and opened his mouth, slack with hunger and need. He licked his lips and breathed the words, letting them gust across Jamie’s skin. “So hard. Too much. Not enough.”

“So tight, Ioan,” Jamie counters, offering the words up like sacrifice. “So hot and so tight.”

Ioan groaned again, desperation deepening the sound. “More. Please, Jamie. More.”

“More of this?” Jamie asked, thrusting his fingers deeper, before pressing his hard cock against Ioan’s thigh. “Or more?”

Ioan shivered hotly. “More of you.”

Jamie found Ioan’s mouth and covered it with his own, devouring the taste of him. Ioan gave as good as he got, tongues and lips and teeth all biting and grinding and crushing. He shoved Jamie back and fought for air, one hand curved in the golden hair of Jamie’s chest as the other reached blindly for the package of condoms, shaking it until the contents spilled.

“Fuck,” he muttered, looking away from Jamie long enough to rip one of the condoms off, tearing it open and fumbling with the slick disc. Jamie pulled back slowly, echoing Ioan’s sharp intake of breath as he slipped his fingers free, taking the condom from Ioan and smoothing it along his shaft.

Jamie swallowed hard as he ran his hand along his length, sheathing the latex with the lubricant. “Do you…how do we…?”

Ioan shook his head and raised himself up, kissing Jamie hard and quick. “Whatever feels good.”

Jamie’s voice was rough with need and uncertainty, a breathless hitch in every word. “How am I supposed to…how do I know?”

Ioan grasped Jamie’s cock and guided it between his legs, pressing the tip to the tight opening. “I’ll tell you.”

Jamie shuddered and pushed in slowly. Ioan tensed beneath him, muscles tightening, his heels digging into the bed. Jamie stilled above him and Ioan shook his head quickly.

“No. Don’t…don’t stop. Oh, God, Jamie. Don’t stop.” His hands clutched at Jamie’s arms until he spread them, rubbing his palms hard against the supple flesh of Jamie’s shoulders and chest. He thrust up against Jamie, curving one leg over the back of Jamie’s calf, his hips rocking in time to meet Jamie’s downward press. “Please.”

Jamie’s fists tightened in the sheets on either side of Ioan’s head. He bit his lip hard, his eyes holding the dark depths of Ioan’s heated gaze. “So good. So good, Ioan.”

Ioan’s hands threaded through Jamie’s hair, tugging him down. His nails scraped across Jamie’s scalp, tangling in the fine, silky strands as their mouths met, the thrust of Jamie’s tongue matching the push of his cock. Ioan hooked his other leg over Jamie’s, pinning him to the bed at the knees as Ioan’s hips rose to collide with Jamie’s.

Lowering himself to his elbows, Jamie let one hand imitate Ioan’s, tangling in the dark curls that framed Ioan’s face as his other hand drifted back, down between them, wrapping around Ioan’s cock. Breath stuttered out between Ioan’s parted lips, hot flashes that bathed Jamie’s face and neck as his hand slid hard and fast along Ioan’s shaft.

“Ja…Jamie,” Ioan’s voice broke, cracking on the word as Jamie slipped deeper, losing his rigid control, his strokes lengthening, pushing harder, his body flush with Ioan’s before he pulled away and repeated the process, Ioan’s soft pleas driving him on.

Jamie’s hand tightened on Ioan’s cock as Ioan’s body constricted around him, muscles clenching as the hot flesh in Jamie’s hand pulsed, the heat of Ioan’s orgasm covering his hand. “Yes,” Jamie gasped, continuing to stroke Ioan’s shaft, slick and wet.

Ioan’s heels dug into Jamie’s calves and he arched off the bed. Jamie moaned, the sound rumbling from deep in his throat, as thick as the blood pounding in his veins as his hips jerked and he came, his chest heaving twice before he slumped heavily against Ioan, every breath hot on Ioan’s skin.

They parted slowly, Ioan crying out as Jamie eased out of him, his eyes wide as he blinked rapidly against the tears forming and glazing over the near blackness of his gaze. “All right?” Jamie whispered, stripping the condom off and tossing it in the trash can near Ioan’s bed. He rolled back toward Ioan, careful not to touch him. “Ioan?”

The smile was slow to come, but it finally curved Ioan’s lips. “Yeah. Yeah. I’m good.” He turned his head, his eyes hazy with satiation and booze and exhaustion, his hand stroking Jamie’s stomach. “Sleep now, yeah?”

Jamie nodded and moved closer, his fingers grazing the sharp jut of Ioan’s hip bone. “Yeah. Goodnight, Ioan.”

“G’night, Jamie,” he muttered softly, burying the sound against Jamie’s shoulder. “’m glad you’re back.”

Jamie swallowed and nodded, letting his own eyes drift closed. “Me too.”

**

Jamie awoke slowly, stretching beneath the mountain of covers piled on top of him; goosebumps rising on his flesh as bare skin met the cold morning air. He shivered and huddled beneath the blankets for a moment before the previous night rushed back at him and he turned his head, noting the slight depression and wrinkles in the mattress beside him.

“Good morning,” he sighed to himself, shoving the covers off despite the bitter cold. A distant clank from deep inside the wall across the room signaled that the heat was working again, though it had a long fight ahead of it to make inroads in the frosty air. He grabbed his bag from the end of the bed, shoving the packages of condoms back into its depths as he walked toward the bathroom. At the door, he dropped the bag and walked back to the edge of the bed, fishing the emptied bottle of scotch from beneath it and tossing it into the trash.

He kicked the bathroom door shut, inhaling the faint scent of steam and soap that lingered in the air. He slumped back against the wood and turned his head, not surprised to find that he looked disheveled and disordered, though the dark marks across his collarbone were surprising. He smiled to himself and shoved off, moving closer to the mirror to inspect them.

He traced them with his fingers, unable to keep the smile from his face until he remembered that he’d woken up alone. Turning from the mirror, he moved to the shower, blasting the hot water until the room was swirling with steam again. He stepped inside and turned his face up to the spray, feeling the booze and the sex – don’t think about the sex – wash away as he reached for the soap, inhaling the scent and wondering how he was going to make it through the day with the smell of Ioan bathing his skin.

He finished quickly, pushing thoughts of Ioan from his head as he washed and dried, digging through his bag for a pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt, pulling both on his still damp skin before raking his fingers through his wet hair until it hung away from his face. He cursed under his breath as he pulled his jumper from the bag, the reminders of the last night spilling out on the floor again. He grabbed the condoms, tearing off and tossing the empty packet that they’d ripped open in their haste before tucking the rest back into his bag again.

The room was almost above freezing as he hurried to the bed, grabbing a clean pair of socks and tugging them on quickly before gathering his clothes from the night before and pushing them into the bag. Suitably warm, he moved to the window, looking out over the gray skies and then down to the beach and the lone, dark figure huddled against the breeze, waves crashing down in a frothy spray not far from his feet.

Jamie swallowed hard then sighed, shoving his feet into his trainers before grabbing his coat and heading out the door.

**

Jamie stopped a few feet from Ioan and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, bunching his shoulders against the cold. The dark blue pea coat engulfed Ioan’s thin frame, the wind whipping through his hair. “The hair and make-up people are going to love you.” Ioan cast a smile over his shoulder before turning back toward the water. Jamie sighed and moved up beside him, watching the grey waves roll in. “You’re up early.”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“Not my fault, I hope.”

“Is that a polite way of asking if you snore?” Ioan dug his toe into the dirt and sighed. “You sleep all right?”

“Fine.” Jamie squatted down, his hands between his knees, his arms on his thighs. “This is a bit…”

”Awkward?”

“Yeah.” He looked out at the water, conscious of Ioan’s eyes on him. “A bit.”

“Did you have breakfast?”

“Oh. Er. I’m not hungry.” Jamie sighed again and stood. “Ioan…”

“How do we do this part? Is it the same? As with a girl? Is it different? It feels different.”

“I…”

“We were very drunk.”

Jamie closed his mouth with a snap and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. His hands balled into fists against his thighs, rubbing over the stretched denim of his jeans. “We were.”

“Did I ever say thank you? For the scotch?”

“Yes. Your appreciation was duly noted.” His flat voice brought Ioan’s eyes to him as he stood, and Jamie forced a smile. “I’m going to go in.”

“Jamie?”

“I’ll see you later, all right? Dinner, maybe.”

“Jamie.” Ioan reached out and caught the sleeve of Jamie’s coat.

“I’m not all that keen on awkward, Ioan. Maybe we’d best just act like this didn’t happen.”

“Is that what you want?”

“I want this to not feel this way. Like you’re suddenly a stranger. We were friends, were we not?”

“Still are, I’d think.” Ioan released Jamie’s coat, sliding his hand down to catch Jamie’s wrist. His thumb ran over the beat of Jamie’s pulse. “Do you wish it hadn’t happened?”

“If I hadn’t wanted it to happen, I wouldn’t have instigated it. You’re not that irresistible, you know.”

“I think I’m exactly that irresistible, actually.” Ioan grinned quickly then released Jamie and tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat. “What do we do now, do you think?”

“Haven’t the foggiest. I’ve never actually shagged a co-star before. Male or female.”

“Me either.”

Jamie grinned. “Though I imagine Stephen Fry tried?”

“Quite a gentleman, actually. Unlike some certain other co-stars I could name.”

“I brought you a present!”

“Buying my affections.”

“Plying you with liquor would be more accurate.”

“So it was intentional, was it?”

“Of course it was bloody intentional. You have, I assume, looked in the mirror at some point.” He stifled a grin at Ioan’s raised eyebrow. “Or met you, even. You’re a decent bloke, you know.”

Ioan started walking, the two of them falling easily into step. “So…where do we go from here? Now that you’ve gotten what you wanted?”

“Well, we’ve at least two movies to shoot.” Jamie copied Ioan’s posture as they walked along the rocky beach. “Portugal though. Not nearly as cold.”

“No excuses for trying to steal my horde of blankets.”

Jamie smiled and glanced over at Ioan. “What do you want to happen next? Do you want to…forget it?”

“No. Definitely not forgettable.” Ioan reached over and brushed Jamie’s hair out of his eyes. “Don’t sell yourself short on that account.”

“We could just go on. Not forget, but not…”

“Do you always present the most depressing options first?”

Jamie fought the smile that threatened at his lips. “A word to the wise, Ioan. If you’re not actively seeking drama, don’t leave the bed of the bloke you just shagged to come brood at the sea.”

“I’m terribly pretty when I’m brooding.”

“Yes, I’ll give you that.” Jamie sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “But it’s a bit disheartening to wake up alone. Makes you think that maybe…”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think.” Ioan bent down and picked up a rock, tossing it toward the water. “I woke up and it wasn’t a dream or…fantasy. It was real. You were real. And I wasn’t sure what exactly that meant.”

“It doesn’t have to mean anything beyond last night, if that’s what you want.”

Ioan nodded, his jaw tightening. “You keep presenting that option, you know.”

“Yes. I’m aware.” He sighed. “Do you want an out, Ioan? I mean, I confess, I’ve not done this before with a co-star or another bloke or…anyone that’s resulted in this knot in my gut that’s been there since I woke up. And that rather scares me, to be honest.”

“The feeling?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s a very good chance that you were very, very drunk and thus were taken advantage of, no matter how willing a participant you may have seemed. And then there’s also the option that you were as willing a participant as you seemed, and that’s rather frightening as well.”

“Why?”

“Because if you were and I was…then…”

“What are we?”

Jamie nodded, refusing to look at Ioan. He shoved his hands back in his pockets and shivered slightly as the breeze lifted his coat away from his body. “What are we?”

Ioan nodded and drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly before leaning in toward Jamie, sliding a hand beneath Jamie’s coat, under his sweater to the warmth of his skin emanating from beneath the thin cotton of his shirt. “Friends?”

Jamie swallowed. “Friends.”

“Co-stars?”

He licked his lips as Ioan’s breath brushed against his ear, the warm of the air superceding the cold surrounding them. “Co-stars.”

Ioan’s smile sent a shiver through Jamie as he felt the movement of Ioan’s lips against his neck. “Lovers?”

Jamie closed his eyes and nodded, reaching down to cover Ioan’s hand with his own. He turned his head and met the dark seriousness of Ioan’s gaze, smiling at the hint of mischief that lit them. He nodded, head barely moving as he held Ioan’s eyes. “Yes.”  



End file.
